Hydrocarbon-motor.



L. K. SNELL & C. F. JOHNSON.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

LYLE K. SNELL AND CHESTER 1?. JOHN SON, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORSTO CADILLAC MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OFMICHIGAN.

' naaaesi.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented (Pct. 30, 191?.

Application filed February 2, 1916. Serial No. 75,634.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LYLE K. SNELL andCHESTER F. J oHNsoN, citizens of the United States, both residents ofDetroit, Waynecount State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hydrocarbon-Motors, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to hydrocarbon motors, and particularly to animproved means for feeding fuel to the carburetor or fuel mixing devicestherefor.

In motor cars which have theirv fuel tanks arranged at a level which isnormally below that of the carbureter, it is customary to provide avacuum, or pressure means for lifting the fuel from the tank to the car-'bureter, and in order to attain the most de s'irable operatingconditions, it has been found that only suficient pressure or vacuumshall be supplied to the tank to lift the fuel to a certain height inthe carburetor,- under normal conditions; that is, the level' of thefuel in the carburetor shall not vary above or below a, certain heightunder any and all conditions.

However, it has also beendiscovered that when the vehicle is on anincline, so that the fuel tank is placed either above or below itsformer level, relative to the carbureter, the pressure of the liquidfeeding to the carbureter, is either increased or decreased.

It will also be understood that for a given pressure on the liquid inthe tank there will be a variation in the pressure of the liquidadjacent the carburetor with every variation of the level of the liquidin the tank, even though the tank is maintained at an unchanged level,and the tendency will be to vary the level of the fuel in thecarburetor.

To obviate these, and other difliculties,

we have provided means for maintaining a substantially uniform pressureof the fuel in the fuel feeding line at a point adjacent the carburetor,regardless o the changes of position of the fuel tank, or changes of thelevel of the fuel'in the tank.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic means forvarying the pressure in the gasolene tank, thus compensating for thechangesof the level of the tank and thereby maintaining a substantiallyuniform pressure in the fuel feeding lines adjacent the carburetor.

Other objects will appear from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, and in which:

Figure 1 illustrates .a fragmentary side elevation, with portions brokenaway, of a power plant and power feeding system therefor, illustrated indiagrammatic form;

source of fuel supply for the carbureter may be kept in the usual tank15, which may be swung from the rear end of the vehicle side members 16.j

The motor crank shaft 1'7 has a gear 18, arranged on the front endthereof, and secured inposition by means of a bolt 19. The gear 18 isadapted to be suitably connected, as by a chain 20, to drive a gear 21,which is arranged on the front end of the usual valve cam shaft 22, andis secured inposition thereon, as by the bolt 23. This gearing isadapted tobe inclosed by a cover 24, arranged at the front end of themotor and on which a pump 25 may be mounted. This pump is of the wellknown reciproeating type, comprising a piston 26 andpitman 27, whichisadapted to be driven by an eccentric 28, formed integral with the 33.The settlin chamber is provided with a threaded nipp e, 33, which isadapted to be secured to the carburetor 14. It will also v be noted thatthe settling chamber is also provided with an intake port 35, which isadapted to be connected with the conduit 33, and a discharge port 36 isled into the interior of the float chamber 34, and-its communicationtherewith may be controlled by the usual float 37' and its valve mechabymeans of the bolts 45'.

nism 38. A fine mesh screen 39 may be arranged in the settling chamberbetween the intake port 35 and discharge port 36. The drain port 40,which is provided in the bottom of .the settling chamber, may be closedby the plug 41.

A flexible diaphragm 42, of any suitable material, may be arranged overthe opening 43, formed in the top of the chamber 32, and held inposition .by means of a ring, or cage member 44, which is held inposition It will be noted that the valve casing 31, hereinabove referredto, may be formed as an integral part of thecage 44, and may havearranged therein a valve mechanism, comprising a valve stem 45, having aconical portion 46,-.

adapted to seat over a port 47 which leads to the atmosphere. This valveis adjustably maintained in position at its upper portion by means of anadjusting bolt 50, which may be threaded in a cap piece 51 arranged inthe valve casing 31. It will be noted that the valve stem 45 has a lowerextension 52 formed integral therewith, which'is adapted to abut againstthe top of the diaphragm 42 and to be actuated thereby.

Having thus described the general construction and arrangement of theparts, it will be understood that the pump 25, which is provided, isadequate for maintaining the maximum pressure required in the fuelfeeding system under extreme conditions, and the tension on the spring48 in the valve mechanism is adjusted to maintain sufficient pressure,in the air lines to feed fuel at a desired pressure as it enters thefloat chamber 34. Assuming the vehicle to be on a comparatively steepupward incline, the tank 15' will be at a much lower level, relative tothe carbureter, than would be the case were the car on a level stretchof road,

and it would require a greater pressure-in the gasolene tank toforcefuel to the carbureter while on this incline than were the car on alevel strip of road. And as thepressure of the fuel in the settlingbasin 32 decreases, the flexible diaphragm 42 will "tend to straightenout, therefore, permitting the spring 48 to move the valve member 46toward the port'47 in the valve casing 31, and finally closing the same,so that the full pressure on the fed to thetank 15.

However, if the tank is raised to a higher pump 25 would be level, thepressure of the fuel in the settling lieving the pressure of the air inthe system by discharging a portion through this port,

thus resulting in a decrease of the'pressure' of the fuel as it entersthe carbureter to the desired normal. This action of the valve mechanismwill maintain a substantially constant pressure of the fuel as it entersthe carbureter, regardless of the variation of the level of the fuel intank.

It will, of course, be understood that by maintaining a substantiallyconstant pressure of fuel as it enters'the carbureter, it facilitatesthe maintenance of a proper level of the fuel in the float chamber ofthe carbureter, thus also'facilitating the maintenance of a propermixture of the gas produced by the carbureter. Of course, by alteringthe adjustment of the screw 50, the pressure in the air line may bechanged, and thus vary the quality of the fuel mixture.

While We have described what we deem to be a preferred form of ourinvention, it will be obvious that various changes and modifi'cationsmay be made, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a liquid feeding system, the combination with a carbureter havinga valve for regulating the supply of fuel thereto, and a fuel tanktherefor, normally arranged at a level below said carbureter, ofpressure means acting on said tank for feeding fuel nation with acarbureter having a valve for regulating the supply of fuel thereto, anda fuel tank therefor, normally arranged at a level below saidcarbureter, of pressure means for said tank, connections for feedingfuel from said tank to said carbureter, and a regulator arranged betweensaid pressure means and said tank and adapted to be actuated by thepressure of the liquid in said connections at a point above said tank.

3. In a liquid feedingsystem, the combination with a carbureter having avalve for regulating the supply of fuel thereto, of a source of fuelsupply therefor, comprising a pressure actuated regulator adapted toautomatically provide a variable pressure at said supply source.

4. In a liquid feeding system, the combination with a carbureter, ofmeans for feeding fuel thereto, comprising a source of supply normallyarranged at a level below said carburetgr, connections from said sourceto said carbureter, pressure means for feeding fuel from said source tosaid carbureter, and a regulator arranged between said pressure meansand said source and adapted to be actuated by the pressure in saidconnections adjacent said carbureter.

5. In a liquid feeding system, the combination with a carbureter,comprising a float chamber, a fuel tank normally arranged at a lowerlevel than said carbureter, and pressure means for said tank, of aregulator arrange-fl between said pressure means and said tank andadapted to be actuated by the pressure of the fuel adjacent said floatchamber.

6. In a liquid feeding system, the combination with a carbureter, ofmeans for feeding fuel thereto, comprising a tank normally arranged at alevel below said carbureter, pressure means for said tank, connectionsbetween said tank and said carbureter, comprising a settling chamber,and a regulator between said pressure means and said tank,

and adapted to be actuated by the pressure of the fuel in said settlingchamber.

7. In a liquid feeding system, the combi-' said carbureter, and meanssusceptible to the pressure in said latter connections for actuatingsaid valve device.

8. In a liquid feeding system, the combination with a carbureter, ofmeans for feeding fuel thereto, comprising a tank normally arranged at alevel below said carbureter, a pump for feeding pressure thereto,connections between said pump and said tank, comprising a valve device,connections between said tank and said carbureter, comprising a chamber,a diaphragm over said chamber, and means between said diaphragm and saidvalve device whereby the latter is adapted to be actuated by the pres:sure in said chamber. i

' 9. The combination with a carbureter hava

